What is the ruling regarding my prayer and my friend's prayer, and is my prayer invalid, requiring repetition, because I prayed alone behind the Imam?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
The is for a solitary congregant to stand to the right of the Imam, based on the of Ibn Abbas: "I prayed with the Prophet (peace be upon him) one night, and I stood to his left. So, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) took hold of my head from behind me and placed me to his right, and he prayed."
As for the prayer of a congregant behind the row, it is valid but disliked by the majority of scholars if there is no excuse. The dislike is removed if there is an excuse.
Regarding the Imam's prayer, there is no disagreement concerning its validity.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/193464
Where this answer came from
- Source platform
- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 193464
- Added here
- . This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
- Text
- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
- Read the full ruling
- Read the full answer on Ftawy